I'm a big NBA fan. The purists prefer NCAA basketball, decrying the NBA as too commercial. Yeah, it is. But I still like it because, as Richard Gere says in "Pretty Woman," "It's the best." The best players in the world, the Olympics notwithstanding.

I was fascinated when, in 1996, the NBA published its list of the 50 greatest players of all time. I put that list on a separate page for your viewing pleasure. This being ten years later, a few players need to be added--five of them, by my estimation: Duncan, Iverson, Kobe, Garnett, and Payton. I'm not definite about Payton.

Tonight the Mavs will deal Miami their third defeat. I hope. You see, I'm also a Mark Cuban fan.